Speechless, the freshman ABC series featuring its portrayal of a family managing day-to-day life with a disabled child has won over audiences, along with Nahnatchka Khan’s Fresh Off The Boat for its depiction of a Taiwanese family adjusting to life in Orlando. Deadline confirms ABC has negotiated new seasons of both series with 20th Century Fox Television.
Speechless stars Minnie Driver, who, next to Katy Mixon in American Housewife has been crowned ABC’s best new comedy series’. Speechless averages a cool 2.0 rating among adults in the 18-49 category, while Fresh Off The Boat, currently airing its third season, has remained strong with adults 18-49 and a solid 1.5 demo.
Playing the role of Maya in Speechless, Minnie Driver brings her whit and no-nonsense attitude to the character. In an interview with Gold Derby, Driver addressed her enthusiasm toward the comedy series. “I’d only genuinely seen disability represented on television or in the media supremely negatively. It’s an ‘Afterschool Special’ topic, it’s doom and gloom,” Driver said. “Here was a show that was beautifully extolling the virtues of being a human being, whether you use a wheelchair or not … It was so funny and irreverent and dealt with the issues that challenge families with special needs in such a funny, robust way. I wanted in on that.” Academy award-winning Driver is known for her role as Skyler in Good Will Hunting (1997).
Among ABC renewals are Black-ish, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, Designated Survivor, American Housewife, and Agents of Shield. Meanwhile, cancellations were announced before ABC’s upfront presentation to advertisers in New York the following week. Those cancelations include The Real O’Neals, Imaginary Mary, Dr. Ken, American Crime, Secrets and Lies, The Catch, and Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing.
Speechless airs Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Fresh On The Boat airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.